SPAA Precision Ag News magazine Vol 12 Issue 3 Winter 2016 SPAA is a non-profit independent membership based group formed in 2002 to promote precision agriculture in Australia. www.spaa.com.au Twitter: SPAA_EO, SPAA_DO

1. Features
PA cane production
Protein mapping
Managing your
ag data
Spatially enabled
livestock
Winter 2016 Volume 12 Issue 3
precision ag news

2. SPAA
SPAA, a non-profit, independent membership organisation
- promoting the development and adoption of precision
technologies in agriculture, viticulture and horticulture
Precision Ag News is published by
SPAA - Society of Precision Agriculture Australia Inc.
© 2016 ISSN1449-3705
SPAA - PO Box 3490 Mildura VIC 3502
Ph 0437 422 000 Fax 1300 422 279
Email info@spaa.com.au www.spaa.com.au
Advertising contact:
Nicole Dimos 0437 422 000 or nicole@spaa.com.au
Precision Ag News is edited and produced for SPAA by
AgriKnowHow with design by Lightning Designs.
SPAA DISCLAIMER
SPAA has prepared this publication, on the basis of information
available at the time of publication without any independent
verification. Neither SPAA and its editors nor any contributor to
this publication represent that the contents of this publication
are accurate or complete; nor do we accept any omissions in
the contents, however they may arise. Readers who act on the
information in this publication do so at their risk. The contributors
may identify particular types of products. We do not endorse or
recommend the products of any manufacturer referred to. Other
products may perform as well or better than those specifically
referred to.
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3. Volume 12 Issue 3 3SPAA
Contents
From the president
As an independent membership
organisation, SPAA aims to promote
the development and adoption of
precision technologies across the
agricultural sectors.
SPAA does this through its Expos,
projects and publications. In these
activities and publications, we share
the journey of farmers who have
adopted PA.
However, we are aware of
differences in the rate of adoption
of PA by sector, region and type
of technology.
So what is causing lack of uptake?
SPAA is not the only one asking
this question. Many in industry
who have developed PA tools and
techniques are wondering why
uptake has not been greater.
The introduction of PA into our
business, Bulla Burra has been in
many small steps over several years.
We asked, we looked, we tested
on small areas. In this way we
could analyse the productivity and
profitability gains and make small
mistakes before we rolled it out
across our business.
An early decision was to have one
PA platform across all machines,
which makes it so much easier
for training staff, record keeping
and management.
As a SPAA member, it is most likely
that you have already started using
PA technologies. What helped you
take that step?
To help SPAA increase adoption of
PA across the agricultural sectors,
we need to better understand
what helped you take the first step
into PA and what is stopping your
neighbours who have yet to start.
Please share your thoughts
and experience with us directly
or via SPAA’s Facebook and
Twitter accounts.
We hope to see you at our events
and encourage you to invite a friend
or neighbour who is not currently
using PA.
Robin Schaefer
@RobinMSchaefer
SPAA NEWS
4 Making a
difference
6 SPAA Expo -
Sugar
7 International
Irrigation
Conference
FEATURES
8 Active paddock
management
20 years of work to
develop PA techniques
and technology is
paying dividends.
11 Cane gain from less
A precise approach to fallow
management is helping improve
soil and sugarcane production.
14 A new twist for
‘terroirists’
Considering terroir at a sub paddock level
could be more relevant optimising grape
and wine production.
17 Artificial intelligence for
tree crops
Identifying and quantifying variation in tree
crops are jobs that robots could do well.
19 Managing your
ag data
Farmers need to read and
understand the small print
associated with the data
contracts before signing.
22 Spatially Enabled
Livestock Management
Hosted by the University of
Sydney, presentations at SELM 16
included precision management for
extensive and intensive industries
and an exciting announcement
about virtual fencing.
INNOVATION
14
DEVELOPMENTS AND DEMOS
23
PA IN PRACTICE
8

4. 4 Issue 3 Volume 12 SPAA NEWS
PA Expos
S
ince the last issue, Dimity
Hunter, SPAA’s development
officer, and I have been
organising regional PA Expos.
With support from our wonderful
sponsors, we have delivered
programs tailored to the needs
of cane growers in the Burdekin
(see page 6), vegetable and
horticultural growers in Queensland’s
Atherton Tablelands, and are now
concentrating on activities for grain
growers in Western Australia.
Between August and October, three
more events will be held in Victoria
and New South Wales (see Diary
Dates page 5). All these specialist
events are designed to help farmers
in these regions:
• learn more about the benefits of
adopting PA technologies;
• discuss specific PA issues with
experienced farmers and PA
specialists; and
• hear about the latest innovations
from our speakers and sponsors.
Several of the events will include
half day hands-on session to address
equipment and software issues.
We enjoy meeting members at
these events and they are also
a great place for non-members
to experience the value that an
association with SPAA offers.
We encourage members to
attend these events and to bring
neighbours and friends to help them
gain confidence in adopting PA
management on their farms.
I am delighted to report that the
SA Grains Industry Trust (SAGIT) is
to sponsor farmer representation
on the programs at some PA Expos
and at the PA Symposium over the
next three years.
Farmer case studies are popular
and well received as they provide
honest candid accounts of their PA
journeys and are great opportunities
to learn and share with experienced
PA farmers.
Full details of all SPAA events can
be found on the SPAA website
Events page.
RINPAS
When it comes to investing in PA
research, it is important that farmers
have the opportunity to influence
its direction to help ensure it offers
practical outcomes.
SPAA is helping to achieve this as
one of the members of the steering
committee for the development
of the Research and Innovation
Network for Precision Agriculture
Systems (RINPAS).
RINPAS (www.rinpas.org.au) brings
together 15 organisations including
research providers, Research and
Development Corporations, industry
and state government primary
industry departments to establish
and drive the implementation of
a national agenda for precision
agriculture.
The group will then apply for
funding from the National Primary
Industries Research Development
and Extension Strategy for Precision
Agriculture Systems.
At the meeting in June, SPAA
committee member Frank D’Emden,
Precision Agronomics Australia
represented SPAA. The topic for
discussion was ‘Data for Decisions
– Big Data and Data Communities’.
Frank presented results from the
SAGIT factsheet survey, previous
PA adoption studies conducted by
CSIRO and anecdotal remarks from
Making a
difference
Nicole Dimos @SPAA_EO
SPAA is all about
helping farmers adopt
PA technology.
Photo: Dimity Hunter
Welcome back
SPAA is pleased to report that Case
IH, Farmscan Ag and GrainGrowers
have all renewed their partnerships
with SPAA for another year.
Sponsors play a huge role in SPAA’s
success and their support helps
SPAA to provide quality PA
information across Australia. SPAA
is always looking at new ways to
engage and work with sponsors
and we look forward to meeting
with sponsors at SPAA events.
If your business is interested in
becoming involved with SPAA,
please contact me. More details
are found on SPAA’s web page.

5. Volume 12 Issue 3 5SPAA NEWS
farmers regarding the problems
they face in making full use of the
precision ag data that is generated
on-farm. Ideas on data accessibility
and sharing, governance, privacy and
ownership and current and potential
data initiatives in the agricultural
sector were discussed. Results from
the workshop will be published on
the RINPAS website in due course.
SPAA’s involvement is another
example of how important it is for
members to share their PA wants
and needs with committee members
and the executive to help ensure
SPAA’s input is as representative
as possible.
If you have any specific thoughts
about PA research required to
increase on-farm profitability in any
production sector, please contact
myself, Robin (President) or our
RINPAS representative and SPAA
past-president Neale Postlethwaite
(0407 547 848).
New project
I look forward to working with the
Riverina Local Land Services which
through the National Landcare
program have funded SPAA to
generate a virtual bus tour of
PA farm visits in the catchment.
To achieve this, we will produce
YouTube videos showcasing farmers’
use of PA tools and systems in four
important agricultural sectors in
the region; grain, cotton, rice, and
horticulture.
Join SPAA in
Toowoomba for the
PA Symposium.
The 19th Precision Agriculture
Symposium will be held on the 12
and 13th September at Toowoomba
City Golf Club.
The symposium is a great
opportunity for PA enthusiasts to
‘learn, share, connect and
be inspired’.
Presenters from research,
development and leading farmers
will report on their work from the
breadth of agricultural sectors.
This year’s international keynote
speaker is Lisa Prassack. Lisa is an
agrifood innovation expert and data
strategy consultant who has her
roots in farming. She has presented
at major PA events in the US and
Canada on evolving PA technology,
data security and what the future
holds for agriculture. We look
forward to hearing from her at the
PA symposium.
On Wednesday 14th there will
be a full day tour visiting farms
and research facilities to see the
latest PA applications in grains
and horticulture.
The symposium dinner on the
Monday night is always a great social
event. This year delegates can even
enjoy a round of golf at the venue.
Registration is now open and more
details can be found on the SPAA
website Events page.
Membership due
Yes, it is that time again when
membership is due – don’t forget
that only members receive Precision
Ag News and all PA factsheets in the
post. Another benefit of membership
is priority registration at the annual
PA Symposium.
Current members were emailed
a membership renewal and new
members can join at SPAA events or
download a membership form from
the website.
D i a r y
D a t e s
SPAA Expos and events
28th July - Three Springs, WA
1st August – Temora, NSW
2nd Sept - Gunnedah, NSW
Early October - Horsham, Vic
12th -13th Sept - PA Symposium,
Toowoomba, Qld.
International
31st July-3rd August - 13th
International Conference on
Precision Agriculture (ICPA),
St Louis, Missouri, USA
16-20 July 2017 - 11th
European Conference on Precision
Agriculture (ECPA), Edinburgh,
Scotland.
15-20 October 2017 – 7th
Asian-Australasian Conference
on Precision Agriculture (ACPA),
Hamilton, New Zealand.
info@paanz.co.nz
Stay connected with SPAA on
twitter (@SPAA_EO), Facebook
and YouTube
SPAA is thrilled that it was awarded
the AgByte Encouragement Award
at the Ag Excellence Alliance Forum
in April.
The award recognises the
contributions farming groups make
to supporting farmers and their
members. The effort made by our
team in showing clear direction,
focus and dedication in achieving
SPAA’s goals was noted.
Ag Excellence Alliance brings
together 15 grower groups
from South Australia, the state
where SPAA was initiated nearly
15 years ago.
Thanks to all the staff and
committee (past and present) who
have contributed to SPAA’s success
in promoting the adoption of
precision agriculture.
Ag Excellence Award
Nicole Dimos receiving the
AgByte Encouragement Award
from AgByte’s owner
Leighton Wilksch (left) and the
Hon Ian Hunter MLC (right).

6. 6 Issue 3 Volume 12 SPAA NEWS
Emma Leonard - @agriknowhow
SPPA EXPO Sugar
SPAA was delighted with the response to its first PA Expo for cane growers. This was held in the Burdekin
region of Queensland and supported by Sugar Research Australia. The PA Expo attracted over 40 local
cane growers and industry support personnel to learn from a packed program of speakers.
While the morning was filled with technical presentations, the afternoon consisted of hands-on training to
help growers gain the most from the GPS and PA equipment they already have in their machines.
Brothers Bryan (left) and Terry Granshaw (centre)
both use PA technologies to help improve cane
productivity. They are pictured with local farm
manager Walter Marcheini.
Bryan Granshaw, BMS Lasersat, presented the latest in
soil surveying. The Soil Information System (SIS) uses
a combination of an EM38 survey and physical soil
samples that are sent to an accredited laboratory for
analysis. The system measures 60 soil parameters and
creates a 3D soil map.
The location of the physical samples is guided by the
EM survey and samples are taken at two depths
(0-60cm and 60-120cm) which are analysed
separately. Surface compaction is also measured.
All the data is processed by Trimble US and located on
the user’s Connected Farm account.
The soil map can be used to support irrigation
scheduling and variable rate inputs such as gypsum.
While Bryan’s focus was the soil, Terry Granshaw of
Burdekin Productivity Services presented on precision
herbicide management.
Two of his key messages were to make sure rate
controllers were set up correctly and to check the
plumbing of their sprayer was appropriate to achieve
consistent and correct droplet size.
Investing in new systems such as three-tier, three-
step dual boomspray systems or Vari-jet nozzles can
overcome the issue of droplet size changing with
ground speed.
However, Terry explained how rate controller set-
up will help ensure droplet size is maintained even
when ground speed and pressure are altered. This is
achieved by entering suitable minimum and maximum
ground speeds for nozzle and droplet size into the
rate controller.
Appropriate minimum and maximum speeds
can be found on tables sourced from the
nozzle manufacturer.
Bryan also talked about the value of technologies such
as autoboom shut-off to minimise overlap and bypass
plumbing systems which has been found to increase
application accuracy.
Technologies to improve weed control in cane were also the focus of
the presentation by Steven Rees, National Centre for Engineering in
Agriculture (NCEA, based at the University of Southern Queensland).
Steve is pictured on the right with Peter Samson, SRA (centre) and
David Brown, DAF (left).
The NCEA is developing precision spraying systems using machine
vision and image analysis to discriminate weeds from crops. Such
systems enable spot spraying of target weeds.
In trials using glyphosate to control Guinea Grass in cane, 85 percent
of the weeds were controlled and very low rates of miss spraying
of sugarcane occured. Herbicide use significantly reduced. Research
is continuing using 3D rather than 2D algorithms which increase
accuracy where there is leaf shadow and to make the system more
reliable in varying light conditions.
Other presenters included Troy
Jensen, USQ (pictured) on cane yield
mapping, farmer and experienced PA
and CTF grain grower St John Kent
and Steve Attard, Agritech Solutions.
Steve illustrated how automation of
irrigation could reduce water usage,
energy usage, reduce losses, improve
production and all importantly save
labour and travel time.
For more details you can access
their slides on the SPAA Past
Events page of the website.

7. Volume 12 Issue 3 7SPAA NEWS
S
PAA was an event supporter
of the International Irrigation
Conference. If you follow
SPAA on twitter (@SPAA_EO) you
may have spotted that I attended
this event as editor of Precision
Ag News. Here are a few points of
interest from the conference and
more reports and interviews will
be published in future issues of
Precision Ag News.
‘Smater Irrigation’
This is a multidisciplinary research,
development and extension focus
that is looking at technologies
and techniques to help ensure
more irrigators are using best
management practice.
The use of sensors and switching
gear to improve ‘precision adaptive
irrigation management’ in drip, spray
and flood irrigation systems is a key
component of the research that was
presented at the conference.
While we heard from several
progressive farmers, changing
farmers’ attitudes about how they
manage water seems to be a sticking
point that the industry has been
grappling with for many years.
Perhaps the irrigation scheduling
app presented by Michael Scobie,
National Centre for Engineering in
Agriculture, University of Southern
Queensland, might help.
Check out www.kmsi.usq.edu.au
or for more output from less
manual inputs, download the
Scheduling Irrigation Diary
app. This app is using
augmented reality and is
available for Android and
iOS platforms.
Aussie irrigation
innovation
There was plenty of Aussie irrigation
innovation on the conference
program and displayed in the
trade show.
Developed in partnership with the
CRC for Irrigation Futures, IrriSAT
uses satellite imagery to estimate
crop coefficients at a 30m resolution.
A delivery platform is being
developed using the Google App
Engine. The app will provide easy
access to the IrriSAT crop water use
data, which coupled with weather
data will enable irrigators to track
their soil moisture deficit and better
manage irrigation schedules.
A spray on biodegradable polymer
membrane offers flexibility and
significant improvements in water
productivity. The polymer devised
by CSIRO has potential applications
in all bare soil production systems.
It also reduces the requirement for
the millions of tonnes of surface
plastic mulch currently used across
the globe to conserve soil moisture,
control weeds and modify soil
temperature. Think about the
potential for spatial application of
this polymer only where required.
Australian designed and built
irrigation sensor systems by MEA
and Sentek were also on show and
offer innovative, robust and simple
to use design features demanded by
Australian irrigators.
BOM
If you have not looked at the Bureau
of Meteorology (www.bom.gov.au)
website recently I encourage you to
do so. There are some great new
features and not all of them are
found in the Agriculture section.
In Water Information, the Landscape
Water Balance maps show soil
moisture percentage on a 5m by
5m grid. Pick your location and
look at change over the year and
compare years.
I want to learn more about how
this is generated as I feel it could
be useful for fertiliser planning in
broadacre cropping.
MetEye is a good starting point to
take a look at some of the new
features - http://www.bom.gov.au/
australia/meteye/
International
Irrigation
Conference Emma Leonard - @agriknowhow
Photo: Emma Leonard
Here are a few points of interest from the International Irrigation
Conference. More reports and interviews will be published in
future issues of Precision Ag News.

8. 8 Issue 3 Volume 12 PA IN PRACTICE
A
s a self-confessed ‘Techno
Addict’, Ashley Wakefield
has been an early adopter
of many precision agriculture (PA)
technologies. He has also spent
considerable time helping developers
make their technology suitably
robust, accurate and ‘friendly’ for
Australian farmers.
Ashley has generously shared his PA
story many times, including being
featured in the SPAA publications
PA in Practice I and II. In PA in
Practice I, produced in 2008, Ashley
estimated that his investment in PA
was providing a benefit of $19/ha,
basically due to reduced overlap.
In 2008, Ashley was already testing
the third prototype on-harvester
protein meter but it was not until
2013 that this equipment started
to pay its way offering substantial
increases to the dollar per hectare
value of PA to his farming business
(Figure 1 and Table 1).
“In-paddock blending helped ensure
17 out of 18 trucks of wheat were
delivered as Australian Premium
White (APW protein>10.5%); at
$30 a tonne price benefit that
represented an increased income
of $37.29/ha across this 185ha
paddock,” said Ashley.
“If we had not blended, about half
of this paddock would have been
sold at a lower grade and price.”
Ashley started PA 20 years ago
with a Microtrak yield monitor, a
Farmscan guidance system and
Omnistar GPS correction giving +/-
10-30cm accuracy.
He now uses a John Deere yield
monitor and has his own base
station to provide the correction
system for his RTK guidance. All
tractor units are fitted with Topcon
autosteer and rate controllers, which
are used for fertiliser/bait spreading,
seeding with a Bourgault disc and
on the Miller Nitro self-propelled
boomspray which is fitted with Arag
Seletron individual nozzle control.
Ashley has worked closely with
Topcon on the development of its
PA software and hardware including
the CropSpec™ sensors which are
central to his variable rate program.
Data layers
As an early adopter of PA, Ashley
now has multiple data layers for
his paddocks and in many cases,
multiple yield maps for the same
crop in the same paddock.
“In the past, we have grown canola
but currently we are running a three
year rotation of wheat, barley and a
legume so we are collecting wheat
and barley data from a paddock
every three years.
“Combining multiple years of yield,
protein, soil and biomass data, as
well as our paddock knowledge, is
helping to produce more reliable and
useful maps.”
For example, overlaying protein
and yield maps can help determine
where additional nitrogen (N)
probably will and will not result in a
significant yield or protein increase.
Active
paddock
management
Emma Leonard
FARM DETAILS
Location: Urania, South Australia
Farm size: 1,330ha
Rainfall: Annual 400mm,
winter dominant
Soil: Grey Mallee loams, some
sandy loam dune swales
Enterprises: Continuous cropping
– wheat, barley, faba beans,
chickpeas and lentils
Personnel: Ashley farms with his
wife Louise and son John
Yield: Average wheat yield
4.07t/ha
Photo: Emma Leonard

9. Volume 12 Issue 3 9
The remaining areas are probably
limited by a soil constraint other than
moisture, so the map helps indicate
areas for further analysis.
All of the farm has been soil
surveyed with EM38 and gamma-
radiometrics. The electromagnetic
(EM38) soil maps, together with
yield maps, have been used to
generate replacement fertiliser maps
for seeding.
Variable rate
Ashley works on a rule of thumb
that four units of phosphorus (P)
are removed for one tonne of grain.
This means rates of diammonium
phosphate at seeding range from
80kg/ha to 120kg/ha. Previously a
flat rate of 100kg/ha was applied.
“Following a year with a dry spring,
we can produce a disproportionate
amount of straw to grain so we
add soil data to the rate decision.
Any paddocks with a Colwell-P of
less than 25ppm will receive an
additional base rate of P.”
Ashley contracts local PA consultant
Peter Treloar and Michael Wells of
PCT to produce the maps and to
carry out most of the soil surveys and
on-farm trial analysis.
Biomass and crop greenness data is
recorded during every pass of the
boomspray in a cereal crop using
the CropSpec™ sensors mounted
on the cab roof. This data is used
to produce normalised difference
vegetation index (NDVI) maps
and together with data from the
moisture probes and protein meter,
is used to establish rates of in-crop
nitrogen (N). These NDVI maps
have also been used to target
weed patches.
“The NDVI maps for N are correlated
against N rich strips, which provide a
non N limited area of crop, and are
now used with the protein maps to
help determine N rates.
“The protein meter means we can
produce N removal maps. In trials,
these maps indicated that in-crop N
could be reduced by 30-40 per cent
compared to a blanket rate.
“I also use moisture probes to check
there is enough subsoil moisture for
the proposed fertiliser rate, which I
can spread as a granule or apply as
liquid to the leaves.”
Protein mapping
Ashley’s interest in protein mapping
started when he was still running
a piggery and wanted to know the
spatial variation in the protein of his
feed barley. Moving to continuous
cropping in 2003, his interest in
protein mapping remained but the
objective became focused on the
consistent delivery of grain that met
higher value protein specifications.
Over the years, Ashley has worked
closely with Next Instruments,
the Australian company that has
developed and now markets the
CropScan 3000H.
“There were many times when I
nearly threw in the project as it was
causing us more problems than
benefits, but I love trying to make
the technology work and to see a
project to its completion.”
Ashley’s commitment and patience
have paid off. Over the past
four seasons, he has produced
meaningful grain protein maps that
have supported in-paddock blending
(Figure 1) and nitrogen fertiliser
decisions (Table 1).
The CropScan is mounted on the
clean grain elevator and takes
readings approximately every 17m,
producing about 15 measurements
per hectare as the crop is being
harvested. This equates to a reading
about every 11 seconds which is
at a lower resolution than a yield
monitor that samples about every
four seconds.
Real-time data for samples is
displayed in the cab. For this, Ashley
is using an industrialised computer.
The individual samples are displayed
as a map but for immediate use,
the protein is presented as the
bin average. This figure can be
reset automatically every time the
harvester grain box is emptied.
PA IN PRACTICE
Table 1. N removal maps were generated for 185ha paddock, using the formula 1kg protein removes
0.175kg N. When the rate based on N removal was compared to five blanket rates based on yield,
substantial savings in urea were made for all except the lowest yield, where a cost would have been incurred.
$ urea $ urea $ urea $ urea $ urea $ urea
based on based on based on based on based on based on
N removal 2t/ha yield 2.8t/ha yield 3t/ha yield 3.5t/ha yield 4t/ha yield
variable 40kg/ha 56kg/ha 60kg/ha 70kg/ha 80kg/ha
Cost $10,632 $8,710 $12,194 $13,065 $15,243 $17,420
Saving $0 -$1,922 $1,562 $2,433 $4,611 $6,789
Saving /ha $0/ha -$10.4 $8.40 $13.20 $24.90 $36.70
%saving 0% -22% 13% 19% 30% 39%
Photo: Emma Leonard
The CropScan is mounted on the clean grain elevator and
takes readings approximately every 17m, producing about 15
measurements per hectare.

10. 10 Issue 3 Volume 12 PA IN PRACTICE
“We use a two bin system with the
aim of creating low and high protein
silos which are blended as we load
the truck.”
Ashley calls this system of blending
‘active paddock management’.
He can log on the screen which
harvester bin has gone to each silo
to produce a running weight and
average protein for each silo.
When on-the go data was tested
against Viterra’s system at delivery,
readings for protein and moisture in
wheat and barley were within 0.2%.
Ashley encourages users to carefully
calibrate the monitor at the start of
harvest for each grain type and
then stick with that calibration for
the season.
By doing this, Ashley can compare
protein production and variation
within and between paddocks.
“By combining protein, moisture
and yield maps, I can look at my
gross margin spatially and locate the
under-performing or unprofitable
parts of the paddock. For example,
we found that if we had not cropped
the areas producing a gross margin
of zero or less in a 185ha paddock,
we could have increased the
paddock gross margin by $3,835.”
The monitor can measure protein
and moisture in wheat, barley, oats
and sorghum, as well as chickpeas
and lentils. In canola
it can measure oil,
although Ashley has
found that readings
were less reliable
with very dark
canola seed.
The CropScan 3000H
can also be mounted
on an auger to
measure protein in
grain coming out of
a bin to manage the loading
of trucks.
“The protein monitor is probably
still creating more questions than
it answers. For example, it is still
early days for us to understand
the relationship between soil and
protein, but at least we are now able
to collect reliable data.”
Details:
Ashley Wakefield 0408 606 177
ashley@tingara.com.au
@tingara777
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Figure 1. The upper portion of the two paddocks
(yellow and red) had protein below 10.5 per cent,
while the lower portion (green to black) had protein
over 10.5 per cent. Blending resulted in 17 out of 18
trucks going APW rather than ASW, a total increase of
$6,900 off the 185 hectares.
Ashley’s top PA tips
1. Back-up your data regularly,
file carefully and store in two
separate locations.
2. Test equipment about a
month before you want to use
it. On the first day of seeding/
harvest, etc, you are still
likely to have small ‘teething
problems’ but you will be much
more prepared.
3. Work with experts. Use a
specialist to process your
data as it is very time and
cost effective.
4. If you have a yield monitor
fitted, start gathering data - it
might be several years before
you use the data but the
sooner you start collecting, the
sooner it can be put to use.
5. Collect and use multiple data
layers - they help quantify
and qualify your paddock
knowledge and in combination
help you make better
management decisions.
PA applications
Guidance and autosteer 1996
Grain yield monitoring 1996
Grain protein monitoring 2002
Auto section control 2003
On-the go NDVI mapping 2007
Variable rate fertiliser 2007
Electromagnetic soil maps 2000
Gamma-radiometric soil maps 2007
Photo: Emma Leonard
Blending resulted in 17 out of 18 trucks going APW rather
than ASW, a total increase of $6,900 off the 185 hectares.

11. Volume 12 Issue 3 11PA IN PRACTICE
P
roducing 142t/ha of cane in
the 2015 season, and that
excludes about 23t/ha of dry
matter of leaf material, requires
considerable inputs of nutrients
and water. Yet Burdekin sugar
producer Denis Pozzebon has seen
a gradual increase in cane and sugar
production from the same or even
less inputs. This change has occurred
since the use of RTK GPS guidance
which allowed improvements to his
pre-planting program.
“Before changing to zonal tillage
and bed formation, a legume in
the fallow period and variable rate
gypsum, we were producing about
117t/ha. But even better than
increasing yield is that guidance
means less time spent on the tractor
and the whole system is more
profitable,” said Denis.
It takes cane over a year to go from
planting (March to May) to harvest,
which can run for 22 weeks from
June to November, the following
year. Once planted, the billets of
sugarcane will be managed to
return a crop for five harvests. So
any mistakes in the pre-planting
preparation can have long lasting
ramifications.
For Denis Pozzebon, pre-planting
preparation starts after harvest
when the cane stool and trash
are incorporated into the soil,
in readiness for levelling of
that paddock.
“Each year between 10 to
20 per cent of the farm is fallowed
and sown to a legume during the
summer. But the legume is really the
last step in the paddock preparation
for the next sugarcane crop.”
Steps to planting
Step one is for a contractor to level
the paddock. Traditionally this has
been done using laser levelling,
but for the past three years, the
contractor has been able to supply
GPS land forming. This system
results in about 30 per cent less
topsoil being moved depending on
the paddock.
The application of gypsum to
help improve soil structure, water
movement and reduce sodicity is the
next part of the fallow management.
Working with researchers at CSIRO,
Denis saw the benefits of variable
rate gypsum. A combination of
EM38 soil surveys and elevation
was used to identify sodic areas
and produce two or three gypsum
rate zones.
Instead of applying a blanket rate
of 3.5t/ha across the whole fallow
paddock, gypsum is generally now
spread at 6.0t/ha in the sodic areas
and at 1t/ha as a maintenance
application across the remaining
area. This has resulted in a
considerable saving in inputs and a
yield benefit was recorded on the
sodic areas (Table1).
Zonal ripping is the next paddock
preparation and accurate GPS has
allowed Denis to implement this
practice. Denis works on planting
rows spaced at 1.55m. He rips each
planting row to a depth of 500 to
550mm. With RTK GPS, he has the
confidence that he will be able to
come back and plant directly above
the rip line.
“The accuracy of this zonal tillage
ensures I maximise the number of
planting rows in the paddock, that
I can place the cane billets exactly
above the rip line and I can irrigate
directly into the rip line.
Photo: Denis Pozzebon
Cane gain
from less FARM DETAILS
Location: Ayr, Queensland
Farm size: 128ha
Rainfall: Annual 933mm, summer
dominant plus irrigation from
underground bores and channel
water
Soil: Sandy loam to loamy clay,
some sodic
Enterprises: Sugar
Personnel: Denis Pozzebon and
his wife, daughter and parents
Yield: Average 142t/ha
harvested cane
Emma Leonard
A precise approach to fallow management
is helping improve soil and sugarcane
production.

12. 12 Issue 3 Volume 12 PA IN PRACTICE
“This level of precision allows me to
improve the soil environment and
apply inputs exactly where they are
required by the cane.”
After ripping, the cane bed is formed
so that the rip line sits in the centre
of the bed and into this the cowpeas
or soybeans are sown to provide
a nitrogen fixing fallow. In late
February, the legume is sprayed out.
The bed is then prepared with a pass
with a wavy coulter and the 20 to
25cm billets of cane planted over the
rip line.
Zonal ripping and bed formation
mean that Denis is now only working
60 to 70 per cent of the soil in the
paddock. Less soil disturbance means
soils are ‘healthier’ and less prone to
loss by erosion.
“From my perspective, healthy soils
start with my management in the
fallow period.”
In-crop precision
While Denis is confident that he
could apply varying rates of fertiliser
by in-crop zone, he lacks confidence
in what the correct range of
fertiliser rates are for his situation.
So, fertiliser rates are calculated
using the industry ‘6 easy steps’.
This program provides guidelines
on how to implement balanced
nutrition on-farm with the ultimate
aim of optimising productivity and
profitability, without adversely
influencing soil fertility or causing
off-farm effects. These steps are
applied in relation to yield on a
paddock by paddock basis.
In-crop fertiliser is applied as a
blanket rate across the paddock as
a liquid or a granule. Well, not quite
across the paddock, as Denis uses a
stool splitter to shoot the fertiliser
into the centre of the crop row,
confining fertiliser to strips at 1.5m
across the paddock.
“Targeting fertiliser this way means
that it is right where the crop can
use it and so the potential for
leaching or runoff is greatly reduced,
a big plus especially when you
farm in the vicinity of the Great
Barrier Reef.”
Irrigation is furrow flood irrigation
so water is targeted to the crop row
and retained in the bed which is
helping to improve water use.
Denis is currently working
with researchers at the Central
Queensland University to automate
irrigation. His moisture probes help
schedule when to water, but a new
system adds end of row sensors
to shut off the water once it has
reached the row end. This system
will then initiate the next set of
valves to be opened and a new
section to be watered.
“Until now, we have used a set-time
period for irrigation – generally 6am-
6pm. The new system may identify
that water has filled the furrow in
only 10 hours, so it would cut off
two hours early, generating a 20 per
cent saving in water and power. A
win-win situation, we hope.”
By accurately setting up the planting
rows, Denis has been able to use a
combination of a shielded sprayer
and unshielded sprayer for herbicide
applications. The shields run
between the rows where glyphosate
is applied as a knockdown. Over
the crop row, a selective herbicide
is applied.
“In combination with the use of
boom section control with the
Trimble Field IQ system, I have
reduced my use of selective
herbicides by 80 per cent which
represents a substantial cost saving
and is better for the environment.”
Harvesting
Despite considerable research
investment, the sugar industry
has yet to source a reliable
yield monitor or surrogate yield
monitoring system. While sugarcane
Table 1. Economic analysis of variable rate gypsum on a paddock at
Denis Pozzebon’s farm – source CSIRO.
Gypsum cost $150/tonne spread
Paddock size 26.7ha
Area Rate Total cost
Uniform application 26.7ha 3.5t/ha $14,018
Variable application 6.4ha 6t/ha $5,760
20.3ha $1t/ha $3,045
Total Cost VR $8,805
Saving $5,213
The value of the yield benefit from gypsum was estimated
to be $113/ha/year
Guidance and autosteer are the two precision tools Denis Pozzebon uses to implement zonal
tillage and bed formation which also enable inputs to be targeted on or between the beds.
PA applications
Electromagnetic soil maps 2007
Guidance 2009
Vehicle steering 2010
Zonal tillage 2010
Variable rate gypsum 2009
Precision spraying 2012
GPS levelling 2014
Photo: Denis Pozzebon

13. Volume 12 Issue 3 13
is delivered by weight, growers are
paid for sugar. On average, 7t of
sugarcane produces 1t of sugar.
Cane is harvested into bins that hold
about 5t of cane and each bin is
individually numbered. At the mill,
sugar content is averaged over every
four bins, 20 tonnes, excluding the
first and last four bins. By linking the
GPS location with the bin number,
there is potential to roughly map
cane and sugar yield but such a
process still needs to be refined.
Flying high
Denis has recently purchased a
remotely piloted aircraft and is
hoping to use this to produce
biomass and crop stress maps based
on normalised difference vegetation
index (NDVI). It is early days with this
technology, but he sees real value
in being able to visualise and locate
in-crop variation.
“I have to find the problems or
potential before I can manage them.
An aerial view could really help in
sugarcane which is such a tall crop.”
Denis’s keys to
soil health with
sugarcane
• GPS land forming
• targeted/zonal tillage
• variable rate gypsum
• legume brown
manure fallow.
Details:
Denis Pozzebon,
pozzo07@bigpond.com
PA IN PRACTICE
“From my perspective, healthy soils start
with my management in the fallow period”
The shielded sprayer and stool splitter for applying fertiliser are set up
to target products precisely in the crop row or in the interrow.
Photos: Denis Pozzebon

14. 14 Issue 3 Volume 12 INNOVATION
A
ccording to my French dictionary, ‘terroir’
translates as ‘soil’. However, in the context of
wine, it has a more mystical connotation relating
to the combined impacts of soil, geology, climate,
landscape and social factors on wine.
The social factors, which are considered very important
in ‘Old World’ countries such as France, include tradition
and long-standing practice in terms of the grape varieties
being grown, their management and intended wine style.
Overall, terroir is a term that is closely associated with
the provenance of the wine and so ‘sense of place’ is an
approximate English translation that captures most of
what is involved. It is a term that has become intertwined
with regional labelling and with history in the ‘Old World’
production regions.
Yet, we know from research and the hard reality of
digging post holes and laying irrigation pipe that soils
and the other biophysical factors vary across regions,
vineyards and along and across vine rows.
So how much are we missing by considering the
influences on terroir only on a regional basis?
In our previous research, much of which has been
reported in Precision Ag News, we used high resolution
soil mapping (EM38 electromagnetic surveys) to show
strong relationships between soil properties and elements
of grape production. I have also reported relationships
between soil properties, yield and vine vigour as
measured by remote and proximal sensing of ‘plant cell
density’ (PCD).
In research in New Zealand, we identified that the
PCD image could be used to show how a juice score,
composed of juice quality attributes, varied both across
vineyards (spatially) and in the period between veraison
and harvest (temporally).
With all the evidence suggesting that there is much more
to ‘terroir’ than a regional soil type, geology or climate,
we established a small study in a 6.1ha vineyard block in
the Grampians region, Victoria.
Our aim was to investigate the within-vineyard spatial
variation in the ‘pepper’ compound rotundone. This
compound contributes to the distinctive peppery flavour
of ‘cool climate’ shiraz.
Our collaborating wine company, ‘Mt Langi Ghiran’,
knew that being in the Grampians meant that its
wines were potentially more peppery than other
regions, but wanted to know whether and how
rotundone concentrations varied within one of its key
vineyard blocks.
A new twist
for ‘terroirists’
Considering terroir at a sub paddock level could be more
relevant for optimising grape and wine characteristics.
Rob Bramley Photo: Emma Leonard
Figure 1 showing the stability of rotundone zones
across (a) seasons or (b) when combined with
specific attributes of the 6.1ha block - soil (ECa),
slope (Sl) and aspect, expressed as degrees from
north (fN).
a) b)

15. Volume 12 Issue 3 15INNOVATION
The block was planted in 1968 on
3m row spacing with 1.8m between
vines. Vines are trained using a single
wire arched cane system. The block
is managed uniformly.
An EM38 survey provided
information on soil variation as well
as providing the data for producing
a 3D elevation model from which
we obtained slope and aspect.
Remotely sensed PCD imagery was
also available.
What we did
In the season that culminated with
the 2012 vintage, 177 target vines
were identified within the block for
subsequent sampling. Each vine
was georeferenced and grapes
were collected immediately prior to
harvest in 2012 and 2013.
Vintage 2012 proved to have a high
berry rotundone concentration,
while in 2013 the concentration was
low, as was the case in 2014.
Sampling of the 177 vines was
repeated in 2015 after analysis of
nine sub-samples from different
areas across the vineyard indicated
that 2015 was a ‘medium’
rotundone year.
The data were then mapped for each
year and compared and overlain with
soil, elevation and aspect data to
look at the potential for creation of
zones for selective harvesting.
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Figure 2. Interactions between soil (ECa), slope (Sl), aspect expressed as degrees from north (fN) and berry
rotundone concentration over three seasons in a 6.1ha vineyard in the Grampians region of Victoria.
Note the position of the north arrow is approximate.

16. 16 Issue 3 Volume 12 INNOVATION
What we found
Irrespective of whether we used a
unique (season specific) or common
variogram in the map production
process, we found that the spatial
patterns of rotundone showed
strong similarity across the years.
This stability across the years was
rather surprising considering that
there was a 40-fold difference in
mean rotundone concentration
between 2012 and 2013, a 13-fold
difference between 2012 and 2015
and a 3-fold difference between
2013 and 2015.
This temporal stability in the
spatial pattern of berry rotundone
concentration suggests that variation
in the underlying land supporting
the vineyard is driving the pattern of
rotundone variation.
When clustered to produce zones
based purely on berry rotundone
concentration or with the inclusion
of soil properties, slope and aspect,
these zones can be seen to remain
similar (Figure 1).
These patterns of rotundone
variation are very similar to the
pattern identified by the vineyard
manager based on his experience of
the block.
How each of these elements
influences the zones is more clearly
seen in Figure 2 and emphasises the
importance of bringing multiple data
layers together to produce more
robust zone maps. In this situation,
topography was seen as a strong
influence on the spatial pattern of
berry rotundone concentration.
Of interest in this work was the
fact that vine vigour variation,
as measured using PCD imagery,
had no relation to the rotundone
variation. This is in contrast to
many other studies in which more
generalised descriptors of fruit
quality have been seen to relate
to PCD.
“Terroir has
narrower
influences
than that of
a region”
In this situation, using information
on underlying vineyard properties
including soil, slope and aspect
would provide better guides for
decisions about selective harvesting.
However, the decision to selectively
harvest in order to assist the
management of wine pepperiness
needs to be supported by chemical
analysis pre-harvest. In years of
low rotundone concentrations,
as recorded in 2013, the level of
rotundone production would offer
little opportunity in optimising
wine pepperiness. Instead it would
be more sensible to harvest as a
single parcel.
We also have to remember that
pepperiness is only one aspect of
importance when a winemaker
is determining when and how to
harvest. Indeed, this vineyard still
produces very fine wines in low
pepper years.
However, these results again suggest
that we need to think about ‘terroir’
at a vineyard or block level rather
than thinking of it at a regional
scale. Such a focus on terroir is
greatly assisted by the use of spatial
tools to help assess and manage
vine vigour, grape yield and fruit
composition, and therefore produce
the wines that we want to produce.
Biog. Dr Rob Bramley has been
a long time supporter of SPAA
and Precision Ag News. He is
Senior Principal Research Scientist
- Precision Agriculture at CSIRO
based at Waite Campus in South
Australia. In this article he could
be called a terroir terrorist!
Details:
Rob Bramley, 08 8303 8594,
Rob.Bramley@csiro.au
Photo: Emma Leonard
Rob Bramley’s research indicates that spatial tools can help assess and manage vine vigour, grape
yield and fruit composition to produce the wines that we want.

17. Volume 12 Issue 3 17INNOVATION
In what types of tree crops
have you used robots to
gather data?
Our work was initially in almond
and apple crops where we used
the robots to gather information
on changes in the canopy over
time. We have also looked at some
tropical tree crops including mangos,
avocados and bananas.
What sort of robot are
you using?
Much of our work has been done
using a ground-based robot that is
able to move between the tree rows
gathering data from the ground,
truck and canopy. We have also used
remotely piloted aircraft to fly over
the orchards. Our robots are all fully
electric and powered by batteries.
Our newest generation of robots
also use solar power.
What data have you been
gathering with the robot?
The ground-based robot, nicknamed
the Shrimp after the Mantis Shrimp
which has super multispectral
sensing capabilities, moves up and
down the rows. It is fitted with a
GPS for positioning and measuring
elevation and changes in terrain.
A vertical sweeping laser (LiDAR)
gathers data on the structure of the
tree canopy, which is converted
to 3D models (georeferenced).
Colour cameras and hyperspectral
sensors gather data on differences
in colour which might relate to
bud burst, blossom, fruit-set or
nutrient deficiency and disease or
pest damage.
How does the robot know
what it is observing?
We hand-label sample buds, leaves,
flowers and fruit at different sizes.
We could also do this for weeds,
disease and pest damage. We teach
the robot what these look like by
distinguishing differences in the
algorithms for colour, shape, texture,
size, etc. As you can imagine, this is
a laborious task as it is required for
each growth stage and tree crop. We
are working on ways to streamline
this task in order to make it as
efficient as possible for the operator.
The algorithms developed for each
crop are able to be used across
different orchards. However, we have
to refine them for different varieties
and canopy management systems.
Does the system work the
same for all the tree crops you
have studied?
No. It works similarly in the crops
that fruit seasonally such as almonds,
apples, mangos and avocados.
Bananas are quite different as
individual trees in a plantation
fruit and flower at different times
(asynchronous growth cycles). In
these crops we looked at measuring
the height of suckers as a prediction
of bunching date and harvest.
While this was possible, it required
a completely new set of intelligent
algorithms to essentially teach the
system about what we are interested
in detecting.
How might this spatial
information be converted
into improved management
decisions?
This will depend on what data is
collected and when. But this type of
intensive, geolocated sampling can
help farmers see how individual trees
change through the season and year
on year.
In an almond orchard, we scanned
at flowering, fruit set and just before
harvest. This data enabled us to
count individual flowers and fruits
on a tree and to map the strength
of the blossom and potential yield
across the orchard.
An apple grower involved in the
trials weighed his harvest at the end
of each row – which is incredibly
Artificial intelligence
for tree crops
Photo: The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) at The University of Sydney
Emma Leonard talked to Dr James Underwood from the
Australian Centre for Field Robotics about how they have been
developing robots for use in tree crops.

18. 18 Issue 3 Volume 12 INNOVATION
labour intensive. With this data we could ground truth
our systems.
We found a strong relationship between the robotically
and manually collected data and this revealed a trend for
a decrease in yield from east to west. This may have never
been quantified without the robot. The farmer suspects
it might relate to the placement of pollinator trees so he
has planted additional pollinators in this area.
What are the biggest challenges in using
robots in orchards?
Reliably acquiring the GPS signal in the canopy can be
challenging as many orchardists will report.
One way we have addressed the problem is to use a tall
GPS mast. This worked well in tall crops like avocados
and macadamias where there is still an open canopy at
the top. However, it is unlikely to solve the problem for
banana plantations which have fully-closed canopies.
The use of more and newer satellites might help, but
reliability for banana localisation may only be possible
with ’GPS free’ approaches. One method, for example, is
to use the onboard sensors including cameras and lasers
to simultaneously localise the platform while mapping the
environment. This is called simultaneous localisation and
mapping (SLAM). This would be very effective in banana
plantations because the taller suckers would make
excellent features for this purpose. They are like natural
localisation beacons.
Converting from a research robot to a fully autonomous
commercial machine will take further development.
Biog. Dr. James Patrick Underwood is a senior
research fellow at the Australian Centre for Field
Robotics (ACFR) at The University of Sydney.
He is an expert in the area of perception systems for
field robotics.
Further Details:
James Underwood, 02 9114 0895,
james.underwood@sydney.edu.au
http://sydney.edu.au/acfr/agriculture
Using the ‘shrimp’ robot to identify variation in a lychee crop.
Photo: The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) at The University of Sydney

19. Volume 12 Issue 3 19DEVELOPMENTS & DEMOS
W
ho controls the access to
the agricultural data (ag
data) that is being collected
from your farming operations? In
Australia and around the globe,
this issue is attracting more and
more attention.
While the potential for increases in
productivity from the use of digital
farming technologies are undeniable,
the issue of who controls access to
and use of the data that has been
collected, aggregated and stored is
one that is often overlooked
and ignored.
One notable exception is the
Australian Farm Institute (AFI) that
has recently released a research
report “The Implications of Digital
Agriculture and Big Data for
Australian Agriculture” (discussed in
this article).
Those farmers aware of the lack of
clarity around data ownership and
control are concerned about the
security and privacy of their farm
data, as well as the terms
that regulate the collection storage
and use of their farm data by
third parties.
Leanne Wiseman
With the myriad of new digital
technologies and apps in the
agricultural marketplace, it is hard
to keep abreast of the agreements
entered into when using precision or
digital agriculture. As a result, many
farmers do not know where and
how the data that is being collected
by these technologies is being used.
Software versus
hardware
Twenty years ago, when a farmer
purchased farming equipment, it
was a straightforward transaction
of purchasing the physical machine.
Today farmers who buy digital
farming machinery may own the
machine and associated controllers,
sensors and monitors, but they
do not own the technology that
operates the machine.
Basically, when purchasing digital
equipment, be it a machine,
computer or phone, farmers
enter into an agreement with the
technology owner that grants them
permission to use the sophisticated
software that operates the digital
machinery. This permission is in the
form of a software licence or a
data contract.
It is these licences and contracts that
regulate the ownership of the input
data and the resultant aggregated
data, the storage and management
of that data, the security and
privacy provisions of the data,
Managing
your ag data Leanne Wiseman
Photo: Emma Leonard
Farmers need to read and understand the small print associated
with the data contracts before signing.

20. 20 Issue 3 Volume 12 DEVELOPMENTS & DEMOS
and the restrictions on the use or
modification of the data.
Typically, the entry into the software
licences or data contracts occurs
at the point of sale of the physical
equipment. It is at this time, that a
farmer agrees to terms that regulate
ownership and use of their farm
data. The software licence terms
need be fully transparent to
all parties.
If you are concerned about who
controls and can access your farm
data, now and into the future, it is
worth doing some homework. Prior
to, or at the time of purchase of the
digital machinery, examine the terms
of the data contracts thoroughly, and
discuss the terms with your digital
technology suppliers. It is important
that farmers read the agreements
before accepting the terms offered.
This is important whether the
technology is in the form of an
app and/or a cloud-based
recording system.
While this issue is often put into the
too hard basket, the US has taken
an interesting approach to ensure
their farmers are more aware of,
and confident about the terms of
the software agreements they are
entering into when adopting new
digital technologies. It is useful to
here examine what they have done.
Approaches to data
contracts in the US
Raising awareness of the contractual
terms in data contracts with farmers
has gained momentum in the United
States. In 2014, the American Farm
Bureau Federation (AFBF) responded
to concerns raised by American
farmers about the ownership and
use of their farm data. After much
lobbying and negotiations, the
AFBF reached agreement with a
number of significant technology
providers on some Principles of
Data Management.
These data principles, which address
data transparency, were agreed to
by the AFBF and 37 agricultural
technology companies including
Monsanto, John Deere and
DuPont Pioneer. The aim of the data
principles is that they encourage
technology providers to contract
with farmers on a basis that is
consistent with the data principles.
The data principles highlight
the importance of a range of
factors including:
- farmers’ education;
- simple, plainly drafted
contracts that are easy to
understand;
- principles around ownership
of data and the use and
sharing of data;
- the idea that access and
control of data only be
with the explicit consent of
the farmers who must be
notified that their data is
being collected; and
- how the farm data will be
disclosed to others and used.
More details about these principles
can be found at
http://www.fb.org/tmp/uploads/
PrivacyAndSecurityPrinciplesForFarm-
Data.pdf
While many of the technology
providers’ contracts addressed these
matters, it was still not necessarily
easy for farmers to identify those
companies whose contracts
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21. Volume 12 Issue 3 21DEVELOPMENTS & DEMOS
complied with the data principles and those that did
not. To address this, the AFBF also created a “Read
before you sign” guide to inform farmers/farmers about
what questions they should raise with their technology
providers. Examples of the questions include: what
information was being collected; what controls farmers
had over the data collected and if a company will advise
them of any policy changes.
The “Read before you sign” guide can be
downloaded from
http://www.fb.org/issues/bigdata/questionagtechprovider/
More recently, an Ag Data Transparency Evaluator
(http://www.fb.org/agdatatransparent/) has been
developed. US farmers can use this to assess agricultural
technology providers’ contracts and policies about
ownership and sharing of data. This is a process by which
US ag technology providers voluntarily submit their
ag data contracts to a simple, 10 question evaluation.
Answers are reviewed by an independent third party
administrator, and the results are posted on http://www.
aglaw.us/ for farmers and other ag professionals to
consult and review. Only companies receiving approval
are allowed to use the ’Ag Data Transparent’ seal. The
seal appears to be similar to certification Trade Marks
that can be registered in Australia by organisations who
strictly control the use of their trade mark.
One word of caution when looking at the US approach,
contracts from the US can differ to those offered to
farmers outside the US due to differences in legislation
that operate in each legal jurisdiction.
Another approach to ag data control and management
can be seen in New Zealand. Here, the Farm Data Code
of Practice is an example of an alternative approach. For
further details see - http://www.farmdatastandards.org.
nz/about-2/
“many farmers do not
know where and how
their data is used”
Conclusion
I am not suggesting that the approach taken by the
AFBF in the US is necessarily the right approach for
Australian farmers.
What I am suggesting is that a greater awareness and
understanding of the terms of the data contracts and
licences associated with current agricultural machinery
would certainly empower farmers to have a more
meaningful dialogue with their equipment suppliers. This
would assist in encouraging transparency around the
terms of the data licences which in turn would develop
more trust in the parties’ contractual relationships.
This suggestion is consistent with the recent
recommendations made by the AFI in their ‘Digital
Agriculture and Big Data’ report.
In relation to the management and access to farm data,
the AFI have recommended that Australian agricultural
industries and agricultural technology providers ‘should
commit to open access data protocols, modelled on
the standards adopted by the Open Agriculture Data
Alliance established in the US’ (Recommendation 3) and
that there should also be ‘the appointment of a Farm
Data Ombudsman to oversee data privacy standards, to
establish data use categories, and to audit compliance
by providers with industry standards for data privacy’
(Recommendation 4).
Securing farmer confidence in the use and control of
their data is important. Opening meaningful debate and
dialogue about the control of and access to and use
of farm data in Australia is an important step toward
building this trust and confidence.
Editor’s note: Dr Wiseman is currently conducting
research into legal implications of agricultural data
and the types of licences that are governing digital
agricultural machinery in Australia. She would
be interested to hear from farmers who are also
interested in the control and management of their
farm data.
Biog. Dr Leanne Wiseman is an Associate Professor
of Law and Associate Director of the Australian
Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture
(ACIPA), based at the Griffith Law School at Griffith
University, Nathan, Queensland.
Details:
Leanne Wiseman, 07 3735 3260,
l.wiseman@griffith.edu.au
An example of the type of agreement
received with and app which the majority
of us accept without reading.

22. 22 Issue 3 Volume 12 DEVELOPMENTS & DEMOS
A
fter more than 30 years
of research and from my
perspective too many years
of anticipation, virtual fencing looks
like it will become a reality.
At SELM 16 Ian Reilly, CEO, of
Agersens explained how they were
in the process of commercialising
virtual fencing based on a system of
solar powered GPS collars.
The virtual fence concept works
on the animal’s flight and fight
response in a similar way to an
electric fence. However, rather than
having a physical barrier the fence is
literally ‘wireless’.
The fence line of the virtual paddock
perimeter is marked on the GIS, just
like adding a polygon in Google
Earth™. The software relays the
geographic references to the neck
mounted GPS tracker via the wireless
sensor network.
If the reference received and the
location of the tracker are within
a predetermined distance of the
virtual fence, the animal will receive
an audio stimulus that triggers it to
move away from the virtual fence.
If this is ignored a second audio
stimulus followed by an electric
stimulus, far less than a conventional
electric fence, are received.
Agersens plan to make their
system more than just a fence
but a complete system of virtual
shepherding, although the current
system is only suited to cattle.
Animals have been shown to learn
quickly and not to breach the virtual
fence unless forced. They also rapidly
return to normal grazing behaviour
having received the stimulus.
Check out their video – on the
SPAA YouTube site
Accelerometers
Many of the projects reported at
SELM were exploring applications
for accelerometers. The technology
in your phone that stimulates the
screen to rotate is an accelerometer.
Tri-axial accelerometers measure
three different movements– up/
down – tilt; backwards/forwards;
left/right (Figure 1). These three
movements are plotted separately
and the graphs compared to visual
observations or to synchronised
video footage of the animal’s
actual movement.
Using mathematics, the researchers
are working to relate the readings
from the accelerometer to
locomotive movement, grazing,
ruminating, standing, lying and
other activities.
Ultimately they hope to produce
algorithms that can automatically
interpret these motions to provide
remote management solutions.
Such solutions could relate to:
• automated oestrus detection,
• early identification of lameness,
• reducing the stress response to
castration or dehorning; and
• early identification of changes in
grazing behaviour.
Automated oestrus
detection in sows
University of Sydney PhD student
Dannielle Glencorse reported on
her work that is using tri-axial
accelerometers to predict the timing
of oestrus in group housed sows.
Sows are only sexually receptive for
2-3 days and ovulation occurs
70 per cent of the way through
oestrus. Consequently, the correct
timing of insemination is highly
reliant on accurate oestrus detection.
Currently, a range of oestrus
detection techniques are used
including a back pressure test and
behavioural observations such as
boar contact, mounting other sows,
snout contact, depressed appetite
and increased activity.
Spatially Enabled
Livestock Management
Photo: Emma Leonard
Emma Leonard
Hosted by the University of Sydney, presentations at SELM 16
included precision management for extensive and intensive
industries and an exciting announcement about virtual fencing.
Figure 1. The movement
directions measured by a neck
mounted tri-axial accelerometer.

23. Volume 12 Issue 3 23DEVELOPMENTS & DEMOS
Accelerometers have been used
successfully to detect oestrus in
individually housed sows. However,
as the industry moves to group
housing of sows this adds a
new challenge.
Dannielle found the ear-tag
mounted accelerometers attracted
too much attention from other sows,
but a collar mounted system was
robust enough to withstand biting
and damage and less disruptive to
normal sow behaviour.
Video and visual observations of
behavioural state, e.g. standing,
drinking, etc were made as were
details of any behavioural events
e.g. interaction with male or other
sows, ear flicking, fighting, etc. The
duration and time of occurrence
were also logged. Results of the
back pressure test were recorded
and faecal hormone concentrations
measured to determine the time of
oestrus onset.
With the industry moving to
group housing, the outcome of
Dannielle’s research could make a
huge contribution to maintaining
and improving sow reproductive
performance. Indeed, an accurate,
automated method of heat detection
could also increase the use of frozen
semen in the pig industry. A move
from fresh to frozen semen offers
improved potential for advances in
genetic gain.
Individual tracking
free-range laying hens
Several of the presentations related
to the use of spatial livestock
monitoring tools to quantify animal
welfare issues.
Hannah Larsen’s research at The
University of Melbourne used radio
frequency identification (RFID) in
free-range laying hens. Results from
this work have been referenced in
the new national code for free-range
for laying hens in Australia.
Individual tracking rather than flock
monitoring helped to illustrate how
hens use the range space provided.
Working with an 18,000 hen
commercial flock, Hannah
subdivided an area of shed and
paddock large enough for 2,000
hens. The hens had ad libitum feed,
nest boxes were inside the shed and
access to the range was between
10am and 6pm.
To 440 birds she attached a silicon
leg band containing and radio
frequency identification chip.
Antennas were located either side of
the pop holes between the shed and
a covered yard, and at two distances
from the shed in a large rotational
paddock. When a chicken walked
across the antenna, it was logged.
The 13 day study found 85.6 per
cent of birds accessed the outdoor
area at least once a day and 68.8
per cent of the flock accessed the
paddock every day. But not every
chicken went out every day and
while the majority went to all parts
of the range, most of their time was
spent in the covered yard close to
the shed.
Further analysis will look at
movement patterns for individual
hens to see if some are more
reluctant to leave the shed or access
parts of the outside areas.
Hannah acknowledged that this
system of individual chicken
monitoring is only suited to research
and is not a commercially viable
system. However, the only other
recorded work of this nature on a
commercial farm was carried out
in Switzerland, so it is early days in
individual chicken monitoring.
Next year SELM is to be
incorporated with the 7th
Asian-Australasian Conference
on Precision Agriculture (ACPA)
in New Zealand
www.selmsymposium.wix.com/selm
SA grain
growers
funding
research
solutions
SA grain
growers
funding
research
solutions
www.sagit.com.au
Ian Reilly, Agersens with a
prototype of the solar powered
collar for virtual shepherding.
Photo: Emma Leonard

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